The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-26
editorial 8riets.
BY REV. I. n. ATWOOD, D. D.
Canton, N. Y.

American Board, must be grateful to
Prof. George 2. Fisher, of Yale, for the
calm and lucid discussion of the under
lying facts and principles which he pre-
sents in the last Independent. In this
matter, as in another to which Joseph
Cook devoted unnecessary space week
ago, there are three classes among Con-
gregationalists - believers, unbelievers
and the perplexed. DR.. Fishers paper,
equally admirable in its reasoning and
its temper, will bring relief to the last.
They will see that it argues nothing
against either the sanity or the orthodoxy
of man that he cannot allege a specific
and authoritative text for his "specuIa-
tion."
Prof Fisher is exactly right in say
ing that the various mitigations Of IRON
clad Calvinism have been made, not on
the authority of any text, but in defer
ence to the prevailing spirit of the Cos
pei teaching" The significant fact about
the whole controversy in relation to the
future of the unsaved, is that, just in
proportion as the Church becomes i'm
bued with what Prof Fisher calls "the
spirit and drift of the Gospel" it acquires
more hope for the heathen and hhe unre-
generate. Hard dogmas relax under the
influence Of the very religion they we're
intended to serve. The logic of the Cos
pei is against the logic of orthodoxy.
| Tho foroa ~ nr II;,Lo-,z
in the editorial Office and is attempted to
be parried in the editorial columns. Six
full columns are given up to the subject.
We are gratifed to observe that the In.
dependent has recovered the courtesy
which in former articles on this theme it
had conspicuously laid aside. The SUBJ
| ject is discussed with patience and gen.
tleness. But, alas! what is gained in
temper is lost in power The strer 9Th of
the editorial is in inverse ratio to its
length. The Independent is usually
direct, vigorous, incisive, whether right
or wrong. 1t is in a bad way, surely.
when it adds to the sin of being in the
wrong the disgrace of being impotent.
The EUening Record, a bright, newsy
penny paper, of Boston, announces that
it is about to introduce illustrations. We
doubt if its readers will appreciate the
improvement. In paper as large as
most of the great dailies are, illustra-
tions are not an unmixed evil, because
the space they occupy is SO much SUBJ
| tracted from the too vast area of reading
matter. But the space of a small sheet
cannot be better used than in printing
| the news and in making sensible and
| sententious. comments on it. But the
| fashion must be followed in journalism
as elsewhere, We suppose.
1t is entirely legitimate for those who
think Mr.. Beecher's religious liberalism
a dangerous thing, to mingle with their
eulogy of his great powers more or less
depreciation of his theology. But we
submit that it is not handsome in them,
nor is it logical, to intimate that any un-
usual laxity which he may (possiblyl
have exhibited is attributable to the lat
itude of his opinions. Fortunately it has
been abundantly demonstrated thai there
is no causal connection between heresy
and moral obIiquity. The soundest Or
thodoxy is no safeguard against ipiquity.
On the other hand, all the world has
| learned that a Christian is not likely to
be less pure and trustworthy for being
liberal.
George Ticknor Curtis, in imitation
of another eminent lawyer, Judge Simon
Greenleaf, has taken up by way of diver
/ sion from his prOfacoso,,o ol Iobouz - L-.-..L
of theological discussion. Prof. Green
leaf examined the testimony for the gen.
uineness of the Gospels by the rules of
evidence. His work, though lacking
some of the features requisite to give il
the character of an authority, is regarded
as an original and valuable contribution
to the subject. Mr.. Curtis has been for
many years deeply interested student
OF the modern scientific theory OF eyolu-
ton. As time went on he began to feel
within him call to tell the public the re-
suits OF his studies and reflections. Hence
a volume entitled, "Creation or Evolu-
tion."
Mr.. Curtis explains in his preface
under what persuasion he writes: 1.-THE
result of my study of the hypothesis of
evolution is, that it is an ingenious but
delusive mode of accounting for the ex-
istence of either the body or the mind of
man; and that it employs kind of rea-
soning which no person of sound iudg-
ment would apply to any thing that might
affect his welfare, his happiness, his
estate, or his conduct in the practical
affairs of life." 1t is to the prejudice OF
the theory Of evolution, certainly, that
the reasoning by which it is supported
appears so inconsequent to mind trained
to weigh evidence, and a mind, too, of
the first order of ability.
The question which the distinguished
advocate sets himself to answer Is one
that discussion will not settle. 1t is a
question Of fact, but the fact cannot be
aseertained. If it could the reasoning
would be supeIAuous No man knows
what the fact in the case is. MIR. Curtis
helps to make this point very plain.
Those who have pretended to have origi-
nal information are really as much in the
dark as the rest OF us. The remaining
question is, What are the probabilities as
TO the fact? Mr. Curtis deals a heavy
| hIoV IN fhe affirmative aro11rnant -, A.,